Final Fantasy Tactics Build-up Guide
By: VegetaX7
Note: This FAQ is the product of hard work. Copyright 2000 by VegetaX7.
Table of Contents:
-Introduction
-Chapter 1: So you want to have strong people, do you?
-1. First things First!
-2. Then what? Jobs, that's what!
-3. "I'm broke, man!"
-4. Formations!
-Chapter 2: Enemy AI
-1. Well, what is it?
-2. And why do I need to know it?
-3. Does it change?
-4. Attack Patterns
-Special Thanks
-INTRODUCTION
Well, you are probably wondering why I am writing this FAQ so late after the game came
out, and why I'm writing it. Well, for starters, I assure you that I know that there are
at least 3 billion and half FAQS for this game already. The thing is, none of them are
quite like mine! I'm writing this due to a lack of info on how to build Characters up.
I found one FAQ on it, unfortunately, it was merely a small section, and it told you how
to RE-build up your characters, using the level down/up trick. So, here it is: My very
first FAQ.
-CHAPTER 1: So you want to have strong people, do you?
This chapter is on how to build up characters-specifically generic ones.
-1. First things First!
Well, I'm assuming that you have already completed the very first battle of the game,
and are now on the world map. Anyway, now you should take a look at your characters. What
do you think of the names? Well, if you don't like them, I suggest you buy yourself a new
team! It's your team, so you should feel comfortable with them. I know I sound a little
stupid, but you just might want to grow accustomed to your characters. It will help. On
the other hand, if you enjoy the character's names, skip on ahead to section 2. Oh, wait,
here it is.
-2. Then what? Jobs, that's what!
Well, now that you have grown accustomed to your team (What? You're not? Read section
1, then, and don't skip it next time!), it's time to pick the best man/woman for the job.
Now, this is an important step. You should set a goal, so to speak, for every Character.
I.e., you want So and So to be a Samurai, or something like that. To help you pick, I've
made a chart. This chart shows every job, and the requirements needed for it. Note that
this chart is complete. I.e., it tells you exactly what you need for every job, example:
In order to become a Monk, you need to be a level 2 Knight. Well, instead of just saying
the requirements for a Monk, I also mixed them with the ones for a Knight. Take a Look.
Job Requirements:
Jobs: Sq Kn Ar Mk Th Ge La Da Ch Pr Wi Or TM Me Su Ba Sa Nj Ca Mi
Squire - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Knight 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Archer 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Monk 2 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thief 2 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Geomancer 2 2 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lancer 2 - 2 - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dancer 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Chemist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Priest - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - -
Wizard - - - - - - - - 2 - - - - - - - - - - -
Oracle - - - - - - - - 2 2 - - - - - - - - - -
Time Mage - - - - - - - - 2 - 2 - - - - - - - - -
Mediator - - - - - - - - 2 2 - 2 - - - - - - - -
Summoner - - - - - - - - 2 - 2 - 2 - - - - - - -
Bard - - - - - - - - 2 2 2 2 2 4 4 - - - - -
Samurai 2 3 2 4 3 - 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ninja 2 2 3 3 4 2 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Calculator - - - - - - - - 2 4 4 3 3 - - - - - - -
Mime 8 2 2 3 3 4 4 - 8 2 2 2 2 4 4 - - - - -
Legend:
# - What level you must be (kind of obvious)
The dash - Not needed for that Job
Small Note: Only Men can be Bards, and only Women can be Dancers
Whew! What a pain to write! I did not gather this info myself, but I did make the chart.
Look in the Special Thanks section to see who I got it from. Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes.
Choose the right character for the job! This is important. Without it, you'd just have
a bunch of squires! Well, I'll give you a few recomendations for early game type stuff.
Monks are great, and are essential to the strategies I'll tell you about. Thieves are good,
too, thanks to Gilgame heart. But I'll get more into that in a minute. For now, choose
your class, and choose it well! Make some long term goals. Or you can go for the gold and
get a Mime or something. It doesn't matter. For the moment, though, I would learn the
following abilities:
Chakra (Monk: Punch Art): Heals HP and MP of all people in the standard plus radius.
Gilgame Heart (Thief: Reaction): Gives you Gil in the amount of damage received.
Accumulate (Squire: Guts or Basic Skill): Adds 1 to attack power.
Protect (Priest: White Magic): Halves all Physical Damage.
JP-Up (Squire: ): Ups the amount of JP received.
Well, seperate characters should learn these abilities (all except for JP-up, which all of
them should learn). Chakra to cure, Gilgame Heart for money (explained in detail in next
section), Accumulate for a BS skill (one to use for JP-I'll explain later), Protect for
a Mage to use (IF you want one, that is-Protect always seems to give JP...), and JP-up to
make the process a little faster. On to the next section!
-3. "I'm broke, man!"
So, you only have about 2000 Gil (if that, right?), and you don't have enough (or
you're just greedy). Well, this is why I said get Gilgame Heart. When I did this, I had
about 2000 gil, and I got 6,000 from the battle. When the battle was over, I had
19,000 Gil! Talk about a lot of money in one battle! In the next section, you'll see
why I got so much money from this...
-4. Formations!
Quite honestly, the reason I wrote this FAQ. This is where I impart to you secrets
of gaining stuff really fast (Okay, they aren't secrets, really, but this is what I do).
Well, first, I go to a space that is pretty level, or has a space like this that is all
the same height:
+
+++
+
Not the world's greatest art (Okay, it sucks really bad, and is a disgrace, but it gets the
point across), but it will do. Anyway, first thing, take out all the enemies except for
one. Well, weaken this guy till he has _basically_ nothing left. He'll start to run (but
not for long... check out chapter 2), and this is when you start the process. Please note
that there are MANY ways to do this, but I like this way the best. Position the Chakra
character in the middle, so that Chakra will hit everyone. Place the other characters
anywhere else, it doesn't matter (just as long as they are around him/her). Have the magic
user cast protect every turn, so that he/she gets JP every turn, and so that the party
will not get as hurt from attacks. Where to cast it? Where else? On the Chakra
character, of course. It's a good idea to have one person attack The Chakra character
every turn, so they gain JP. If TCC (The Chakra Character) has Gilgame Heart, so much
the better. If not, position one person next to that person and attack away (it's a good
idea to have the Gilgame heart person be an attacker, not a mage, so that they can take
the hits and not die). Now, the last character should be using accumulate every single
turn. Please note that it is a really bad idea to have any counter-attack moves on. This
could kill you. Also, let's not forget about the monster! He could be a bit of a pain,
really. Make sure that all you're characters aren't critical after every turn. Also, make
sure that the Chakra heals them all the way! You will die eventually, if it doesn't...
-CHAPTER 2: Enemy AI
This part is, as of now, really incomplete. I'm going to spend a LOT of time studying
it, but, since I can't right now, you'll have to make do with what I've got.
-1. Well, what is it?
Good question! In case you didn't know, AI stands for Artificial Intelligence. Not
much else to put here, except maybe to say that it's the brain of the enemy. Also,
it's one of the best I've ever seen.
-2. And why do I need to know it?
Well, I'll tell you why. Doesn't a Chess player study his opponent? Would you walk
into a battle without knowing who or what your opponent is? Sometimes, yes, you have to,
but, not in Tactics! When I finish this section, anyway. Who knows? This may help you
a great deal... or not.
-3. Does it change?
Well, I'm not entirely sure on this. Yesterday I got whooped really bad by some
monsters... They used a different tactic. It changes, yes, obviously. But, what I really
mean in this section is does it change as you level up and get new Jobs? Right now, I'm
studying it, but I think it just might... Don't quote me on that. It might change
depending on species too, but once again, don't quote me.
-4. Attack Patterns
I have to honestly say I have very little info on this at the moment. I can tell you
a critical monster's behavior, but that's it.
Tactics:
-Human? - None
-Monster
-Attack - None
-Defense - None
-Critical
-Easy?
-Medium?
-Hard?
-Generic? - Enemy Monster will run, at first. After a few turns, will come back and
fight. After this, will start pattern. Hit, run. Run, hit. You get the point.
-SPECIAL THANKS
I would like to thank the following people for helping me write this. Not very many,
but thanks is issued:
Erik Tilton, for giving me the idea to write a part about enemy AI. Expect more later!
Bubbawheat, for the info on Jobs. I made that table, however.
And, of course, whoever happens to be reading this. Forgive any errors I have made.
Arigatou!